Turkish President Recep Tayyip Erdoğan held a meeting with Ismail Haniyah, the leader of the Palestinian independence organization Hamas, who is visiting Turkey. Turkish President Recep Tayyip Erdoğan stressed the importance of Palestinian unity in the meeting.
On Saturday (April 20), the two leaders met in Istanbul for about two and a half hours, Turkish media reported.
Hamas chief Ismail Haniyeh was welcomed at Dolmabak Palace in Istanbul. Members of his delegation were also with him at that time. One of the most important leaders of Hamas was Khaled Mashal.
Turkish state media TRT reported that Erdogan and Haniyah discussed a ceasefire and relief in Gaza.
"It is very important that the Palestinians work together in this process," Erdogan said in a statement after the meeting, calling on Palestinians to unite in order to win against occupying Israel. The strongest action against Israel and the path to victory depend on unity and integrity.”
Erdoğan's meeting with Haniyah was not taken well by the occupying Israel. Israeli Foreign Minister Israel Katz condemned the meeting in a post on the micro-blogging site X.
On October 7, the war between the Palestinian armed group Hamas and Israel began. More than 34,000 Palestinians have lost their lives in this war so far. Turkish President Erdogan has been condemning Israel's brutality since the beginning of the war. He said he and his country would side with Hamas in the war against Israel.